You HAVE to try this

Why does it keep feeling like I blink and my whole world turns? Even little things keep ambushing me. Take the weather: Sydney is so freaking cold all of a sudden. I can’t believe the kids and I were swimming at the beach just two short weeks ago … it was GORGEOUS …

Now I’m huddled in a fleecy jacket, gas heater going full blast, shivering. Bizarre.

On Monday I decided it was time to crack out the comfort food and tackled beef cheeks for the very first time. My dear friend, the food director of Woman’s Day, was coming over for dinner – no pressure or anything – so of course I decided to make something completely unfamiliar to me. Fortunately I used a trusty Women’s Weekly recipe and the results were insanely yummy.

Phew.

It was lovely to catch up with my former colleague. After dinner, we curled up on the couch and reminisced over a glass of red wine. Good times.

I’m not one for blogging recipes mid-week … but this one is too good not to share. It’s from a cookbook called Slow Cooking. Nom, nom.

I made a few modifications to the recipe because I reckon everything tastes better with garlic and chilli. Don’t you?

RECIPE: Braised Beef Cheeks in Red Wine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.6kg beef cheeks

1 medium brown onion, sliced

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium carrot, roughly chopped

3 cups dry red wine

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

800g can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

1 large fennel bulb, sliced

400g spring onions, trimmed, halved

200 grams swiss brown mushrooms, quartered

METHOD: Preheat oven to 140C. Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole and the stove top. Cook beef, in batches until browned all over. Remove from dish. Heat remaining oil in same dish, saute onions, garlic, chilli and carrot until onion softens. Return beef to the dish with wine, vinegar, undrained tomatoes, sugar, rosemary, oregano and fennel. Bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for two hours. Stir in spring onions and mushrooms. Cook, uncovered, in oven for about 45 minutes or until beef is tender.

Women’s Weekly suggests serving it with cheesy polenta but I went with mash. It was delish.

 Song of the day: Tom Jones “Baby it’s cold outside”

Athough I rather love the Lady Gaga and Joseph Gordon Levitt version too …